Kaliyuga, 5000 yrs old...?

[shvu]

 

Why do we believe that Kali-Yuga is 5000 years old ?

 

The Mahabharata says that it occured during the transition period from the Dwapara Yuga to Kali yuga. So how was this point determined ?

 

1. The existence of a calender named Kaliyuga-shaka which was first found in Arya Bhatta's records. It claims that Kaliyuga 0 corresponds to 3102 BC. It should be noted that Arya Bhatta lived around 400 ad. Which means there is no known reference to this calendar before that time. That is for almost 3400 years it was unknown. All the older works used other calendars.

 

2. The Bhagavatam says that learned people consider the death of Krishna as the exact point of the birth of Kali.

 

Based on these points, people reason that Krisna must be 5000 years old and also Kali-yuga. And that is the believed time of the occurence of the war.

 

So this whole dating system is based on that Kaliyuga-calendar which popped up during 400 AD. If that is a false one, then there is no way of knowing the birth point of Kali-yuga.

 

200,000 years back, perhaps ?

 

Cheers

[animesh]

Hi Shvu,

The exact date of the start of kali yuga depends on what we mean by the term "kali-yuga"? Who decides the definition of this term?

[shvu]

Hi Animesh,

 

The Hindu concept of time is cyclic. At any given point, we are in one of the 4 yugas, which repeat themselves.

 

The last 10% of this cycle is Kali-yuga, which is what is supposed to be running now.

 

Cheers

[Jahnava Nitai Das]

The timing can be ascertained by a number of methods, one being the alignment of constellations mentioned in the Puranas at the time.

 

[Dasha]

Many years ago I heard that there was a devotee who was a scientist before joining the Hare Krsna mouvement, and he had made comparison of dates between the datation given by the "materialist scientist" about the evolution of mankind and what the Vedic litterature says on this subject matter.

 

We find fondamental differencies such as the fact that "materialist" explain that our grand grand father was a "prehistorical" human. But we learn from the Vedas that there is a cycle of 4 ages coming one after an other, and before this kali yuga mankind was much develope than we are.

 

Would it be possible that what they called the prehistoric human was what was mankind at the end of the previous kali yuga?

 

It was said too that the dinosaures where the animals of this previous Kali yuga, but they disapeared from the earth about 60 000 years ago !!!!!!!

 

 

If it is (as I heard) it seems that there is not enough room to insert the Satya yuga(1 728 000 years, the Treta yuga (1 296 000 years) and the Dvapara yuga (864 000 years) which is 3 888 000 years + 5 000 from this age = 3 893 000 years in between the "prehistoric" time (last Kali yuga) and the present kali yuga.

 

Is there anybody having explanation on this subject matter?

 

Thank

 

 

 

[animesh]

_________

But we learn from the Vedas that there is a cycle of 4 ages coming one after an other, and before this kali yuga mankind was much develope than we are.

_________

 

I have heard many times that vedas and puranas are full of knowledge and that every knowledge of modern science is present in them. I can believe that vedas and puranas are full of knowledge but I doubt that every knwoledge in modern science has been derived from them.

The modern science has been developed out of the strenuous work done by a large no. of scientists who have never studied vedas and puranas. So, it won't be correct to say that they have derived their knowledge from our scriptures.

[shvu]

Hi Dasha,

 

One Maha-yuga [4 yugas] is only 4.5 million years. The dinosaurs vanished from the earth 65 million years ago. The earliest evidence for the existence of Man is no older than 200,000 years. There is also no evidence of an advanced civilisation having lived before, except in legends.

 

Cheers

[shvu]

Hi Animesh,

 

---

I have heard many times that vedas and puranas are full of knowledge and that every knowledge of modern science is present in them. I can believe that vedas and puranas are full of knowledge but I doubt that every knwoledge in modern science has been derived from them.

---

 

To think that all aspects of modern day science is present in the Vedas is hardly true. The Vedas are atleast 3500 years old. If such an advanced level of technology was available at that time, given the progress rate of man, can you imagine the Technology level in India today? There are stories of finding detailed descriptions on how to build aircrafts. So why wasn't any of them ever built? According to history, all that the Indians were doing wasfarming, rearing cows, pottery, masonry, etc.

 

The birth of the Industrial revolution is less than 1000 years old. If man could progress so far in just so many years, it is impossible to believe that India deteriorated to this level in 3500 years !

 

Perhaps there was an advanced civilization very long back. All the descriptions of aircrafts, nuclear weapons, etc may have been handed down traditionally since a long time. Of course, this is strictly speculation.

 

Anyone read Nostradammus?

 

He predicted that Louis Pasteur would discover the terchnique of Pasteuization. What is interesting is the statement, which is something like,

 

"...will rediscover Pasteurization, which was lost to mankind for a long time"

 

So according to him, this was something that was known to man a long time back and was lost. Sounds interesting !

 

Cheers

[shvu]

 

Hi Animesh,

 

I included a portion of your posting in mine, to say that I agree with you.

 

Cheers

[dubeyrakesh]

Will the kaliyuga end with PRALAYA?

[shvu]

 

Not necessarily.

 

Pralaya occurs only during the end of the rule of a Manu, called as a Manvantara. I don't remember the exact figures of how many Maha-yugas make one Manvantara. 1000/14 or something like that. Mahapralaya will occur during the end of a Kalpa [1000 yugas?].

 

Kali Yuga is supposed to end with the destruction of evil and the revival of the Vedas by Kalki, an avatar. We still have 427,000 years to go.

 

Cheers

[dubeyrakesh]

Shvu,

There is nothing "not necessarily" when we are talking about our Vedas/Shastras.

My question was what our literarure says about Kaliyuga's end?

Also, what will exactly happen when PRALAYA occurs?

Thanks,

Rakesh Dubey

[amanpeter]

Kali Yuga is supposed to end with the destruction of evil and the revival of the Vedas by Kalki,

an avatar. We still have 427,000 years to go.

 

"C'mon, we got WORK to do!" (Three Stooges)

 

------------------

No offense meant to anyone...

[Bhaktavasya]

 

An important point to remember here is that with the advent of Chaitanya and His eternal assosiates, there was the beginning of a Satya Yuga within the Kali Yuga, and I believe it is supposed to go on for another 100,000 years. We're just beginning to get our collective feet wet, dipping toes into the prophesized ocean of Love of God.

[kailasa]

>the existence of Man is no older than 200,000 years.

 

Ancient parking of the man

Kaliko Hils, Kaliforny of 500 000 years

 

Kanamskaya a jaw found in Olduvaiskom gorge

Homo Sapiens of 2 000 000 years

 

Kastenedolo Itali Homo Sapiens in a layer pliocenta

2 000 000 - 7 000 000 years

 

Dorcester Masacusets the decorated metal vessel

600 000 000 years.

 

If to accept the theory of evolution that 99,9 % of existing kinds have not left any trace of the existence.

 

The probability of occurrence of one crate is equal 1:10 in 40 000 degrees, during existence of ground of 4,5 billion years possible(probable) practical probability 10 in 74 degrees for the Earth, and for all atoms in installed (10 in 80 degrees) is equal

10 in 154 degrees. Compare 10 to 40000 zero it is necessary, and at the best taking into account all atoms installed at us is 10 with 154 zero, feel a difference? And it only occurrence of one crate!!!!

 

Any of serious researches does not confirm evolution, àðõåîëîãèÿ, neither genetics, nor theory of probability, êîñìîëîãèÿ, neither biology, nor quantum physics.

 

 

[animesh]

Where have all dissapeared in kali yuga? According to puranas there were present for a very long time. Example: many sages, Parashuram, Jambvaan and many others. Where are they all now?

[amanpeter]

Originally posted by animesh:

Where have all dissapeared in kali yuga? According to puranas there were present for a very long time. Example: many sages, Parashuram, Jambvaan and many others. Where are they all now?

We're HIDING, prabhu! SSHHHH! Don't tell anyone...

 

------------------

No offense meant to anyone...

[animesh]

Hiding in cave? Just like Jambvan who was present in cave for so many years before he met Krishna?

[Jahnava Nitai Das]

Originally posted by animesh:

Where have all dissapeared in kali yuga? According to puranas there were present for a very long time. Example: many sages, Parashuram, Jambvaan and many others. Where are they all now?

The Jambudvipa (or earth) is divided into many varshas, or regions, most of which exis

t on higher dimensional realms of existence. For example a mountain range like the himalayas has three levels, only the very base of which is visible to lower human beings like ourselves. There are many lands which we have no experience of, and which are less affected by the influence of the ages such as kali. Most elevated personalities prefer to dwell in those higher realms during the degraded age of Kali.

 

[This message has been edited by jndas (edited 06-09-2001).]

[Dharma]

How long Kaliyuga will last and when the Golden Age begins is determined by the movement of Earth and other planets. It is an astrological occurence as well as a shift in consciousness. When the star, Mulam, radiates its complete energy and the earth is at that point where it completely access this cosmic energy then it can be called Satya Yuga. The question is not one of speculation as to when Satya Yuga is going to come, whether it is going to be 1000 of years later, millions of years later.

It is much like this: the doctor tells you that your disease is going to be cured within 3 years time. You are very disappointed and sad because you are not sure if you are going to survive and tolerate the pain and live for 3 years. So go to another doctor for another opinion and he says- Look it is not going to be 3 years, I am going to cure it within 3 months. Would you be unhappy about it and tell may be I will rather wait for 3 years? If the doctor were to show it to you that it is indeed possible to cure it in 3 months, then you would say I feel it now. I guess I am saying that you can wait another few milleniums if you must as like any dawn, there is a broad window of oppertunity. Many masters would say when asked how long before aman could become enlightened would say "miileniums." Such a being upon being told this will take an oh what the hell attitude and degenerate further-thinking it impossible.

 

On the other hand, it ALREADY HAS BEEN MILLENIUMS. The very first step is knowing that it is now possible for each and every person that seeks-not just a one in a million. Molam is very close. The energies offer tremendous oppertunity for growth, mokska and mukti for some very average everyday type people. Perhaps many here have noticed mystical experiences much like were given to saints of olden times. Or perhaps there is an Awakening in the heart. I am sure everyone is noticing an increased capacity for love- a communion with divine, a progression rather than a degeneration in your relationship with the divine. If we were sinking deeper into furthur degeneration of Kalkiyuga and not so close to Satyayuga, how is this type of experience possible? So many are having such experience.

 

Perhaps at this point in time speculation is a waste of energy especiall if we observe and see what is happening right now. Mankind definitely cannot last for the next 300,000 or 400,000 years with the kinds of minds we have, with the kinds of thoughts we entertain, and the kind of suffering that is apparent. Do you know that we are suffering?

 

The consciousness and degenaration of man is reaching and all time low. Do you think that he can go on like this and degenerate even further without going totally mad? How much more insecurity can he handle?

 

How much of his inability to determine what is necessary for survival and what is irrelevant-that is so very characteristic of Kaliyuga (the gross exploitation of resources due to excessive materialism-ie sorrow management)can the planet bear?

 

Mulam is very close now to the proximately of earth. Many of the sages and mystics are saying there were errors in calculations of the yugas. A division that is said to be more accurate is the following ancient calculation:

10,000 years of Satyuga, 7200 years Treta Yuga,4400 Dwapar Yuga, 2400 years Kaliyuga.

 

The concepts of yugas hat mark the spiritual progression (gradual & phased deterioration) in the spiritual state of man, divided into a 24,000 year time frame called a Kalpa Chakra. Molam it is my understanding comes near the earth every 24,000 years aproximately.

 

 

[sin_patas]

forgive me for reviving an old thread, but if Vedic civilization DID cover the earth in the past, there WOULD NOT be evidence of human bones, would there?

 

that is to say, if Vedic civilization was in control then everyone who died back then would have been cremated?

 

sincerely not trolling.

[Jahnava Nitai Das]

The Vedic religion, or varnashrama dharma, was only practiced perfectly in 54 countries known collectively as Bharata-khanda. This area covered all of South East asia up to Afghanistan.

 

In the outer countries, varnashrama was practiced to varying degress, and in some places not at all. These other non-vedic kingdoms ruled under the control of the 54 kings and were required to pay taxes and tribute to them.

 

Thus one would not expect practices such as cremation to have been followed throughout the world. This is acknowledged in the Bhagavatam wherein it mentions the fate of a dead body: it is either cremated, eaten by vultures and jackals, or burried and eaten by worms.

 

[talasiga]

Originally posted by sin_patas:

that is to say, if Vedic civilization was in control then everyone who died back then would have been cremated?

 

check !

 

children, rishis, munis and sants are not cremated

 

 

 

[shvu]

 

forgive me for reviving an old thread, but if Vedic civilization DID cover the earth in the past, there WOULD NOT be evidence of human bones, would there?

This is what every old civilization claims . According to each one of them, they were the center of the world. Their own place was something unique, and people living in that place somehow had a special previlige. The Jews believed that their land was the holy land, just like the Aryans believed that Aryavarta [the region in North India where they flourished] was a holy land.

 

The christians until a couple of hundred years back, believed that Hebrew was the original language of the world and all other languages came from Hebrew. This was assuming the bible to be a source of historical truths [the tower of babel story, etc]. Later, when people studying ancient greek, Iranian and sanskrit together, they realized that there were lots of similarities between these languages indicating that they had a common ancestor which had nothing to do with Hebrew. That removed the myth of Israel being the origin of everything.

 

Of course, there are many christains who still believe in it today and choose to ignore any evidence. They treat the bible as a source of history and archaeological evidence does not interest them. Likewise there are Hindus today who believe that North India was the source of everything and this idea again, is based on treating stories from Puranas as historical facts.

 

Cheers

 

[Guest guest]

This is from a Kriya site which goes into detail about Swami Yuktesvar's (Yogananda's Guru) views on Kali-Yuga!

(sorry for the length) I personally do not agree with all this but I posted as it seems relevant to the thread.

 

peace to all!

THE YUGA

 

Yuga is a Hindu conception closely arid severally linked with various cultural thoughts and religious beliefs and practices. Yugas consist of immense lengths of time, counted in thousands of years. Standards of measuring and expressing the lengths of time also gives an insight into the Hindu conception.

 

It does not need mentioning that the current measure of time—of hour, minute and second has—been determined by dividing the duration of time between two consecutive sunrise by twenty four, which is the hour ; dividing the hour by sixty determining the minute and then dividing the minute by sixty again to get the second. The period of twenty four hours between two consecutive sunrise, needless to state, constitute a day and a night, a Aho Ratra. The Shastras lay down several kinds of Aho Ratra conditioned by sequences of appearance and disappearance of certain specific feature. Thus a sequence of appearance and disappearance of sunlight is the measure of a human Aho- Ratra. Similarly we have Aho Ratra of the Pitris ( Manes), Aho Ratra of the Devas and Aho Ratra of Brahma.

 

Twinkle of the eye is taken as the unit measure of time and Aho Ratra of man is arrived at by a series of multiplication. According to Manu Smriti the equation is as follows ;

 

"Ten and eight twinkles make one Kashtha, thirty Kashthas make a Kala;

 

Thirty Kalas make a Muhurta and similar (count) Make a Aho Ratra." \ 1

 

Other types of Aho Ratra, according to Manu Smriti, are also dependent on the sun :

 

"The sun delineates Aho and Ratra—Day and Night for men and the gods; night is for sleep of beings and Day for efforts for work" \ 2

 

Processes of sequence of ‘activity' and ‘rest' of specific features are the criteria by which the other Aho Ratras are recognized.

 

Aho Ratra of the Pitris : Pitris are commonly held to be supernatural beings who exist in between men and gods after death, the Manes. Swami Sri Yukteshvar held that the ‘abode of the Manes' was a fiction, and that the word Pitri in reality meant that which was inherited from the Pitris, the parents ; Pitri Lok, according to the Swami, was the human body inherited from parents.

 

"Day and Night ( Aho Ratra ) of the Pitris is the month divided into Pakshas (two fortnights ) ;

 

The dark fortnight ( Krishna Paksha ) is the Day for activity and the bright fortnight ( Sukla Paksha ) is the Night for sleep." \ 3

 

Swami Sri Yukteshvar held that during a period of a month, a lunar month, flesh and blood in the human body (inheritance from the parents) get replenished and refreshed through the process of ‘activity' and ‘rest'; and that the above Aho Ratra of Pitris relates to that phenomenon. In the sphere of insects also there is a class, the honey bees, who are noticed to keep busy during the dark fortnight of the month collecting honey from flowers and to take rest inside the honey combs during the bright fortnight; for them, therefore, the former fortnight is the Day and the latter the Night.

 

Aho Ratra of the Devas: The general belief is that the Devas are the dwellers in the heaven. Swami Sri Yukteshvar explained that this was a wrong notion. Actually the Devas represent the subtle senses, the Fine Matters, which are not subject to laws of gross matters. The Upanishadas at many places used the word Deva to indicate lndriyas, the subtle senses. Aho Ratra for the Devas has been defined in the Manu Smriti as follows :

 

"The year again is delineated as Day and Night of the Devas; there Uttarayan is the Day and Dakshinayan is Night." \ 4

 

The period of six months of the year from the twenty fifth of December when the sun appears to move Northward from its Southernmost limit toward North is called Uttarayan and the remaining six months when the Sun apparently moves Southwards from its Northernmost position is called Dakshinayan. As during the former half year the Sun comes towards the North, toward Aryavarta, the land of the Hindus, Hindu savants considered it to be an auspicious period. It is assumed that finer elements like the subtle senses remain fresh and active during this period and as such more propitious for religious rituals and spiritual experiences. It may be recalled that in the story of the Maha Bharata the Kaurava hero Bhishma when lying on a bed of arrows preferred to wait till the advent of Uttarayan to breathe his last. This period of six months hence is considered as the Day of the ‘Devas'. The remaining half of the year when the Sun gets going towards the South and away from the home of the Hindus has been said to constitute ‘their' Night.

 

Aho Ratra of Brahma and the Yugas: Shrimad Bhagavad Gita defined Aho Ratra of Brahma as under;

 

"Those who know Brahma's day as of one thousand Yugas and night also as duration of one thousand Yugas are the ‘knowers' of Aho Ratra." \ 5

 

Manu Smriti. which has dealt with this subject in much greater details however, has introduced the idea of different Yugas before defining Aba Ratra of Brahma. It says:

 

"Comprehend now proofs of Day and Night of Brahma including one by one, in short, of the Yugas." \ 6

 

Manu Smriti then defines the different Yugas:

 

 

 

Ordinary Yugas—Satya, Treta, Dvapar and KaIi:

 

"Four thousand years constitute a Krita (Satya) Yuga, it has its Sandhya and Sandhyangsha (mutation periods of Yuga dawn and Yuga dusk) of same duration; the remaining three (Yugas) and their Sandhya and Sandhyangsha are progressively shorter by one in thousands and hundreds." \ 7

 

After giving out the length of the Satya Yuga, Manu states that the other three Yugas—the Treta, Dvapar and KaIi— should be less by one in number at every step. The periods of mutation, the Yuga dawns and the Yuga dusks, are in hundreds of years but of the same numbers, and are also to be progressively less by one in the subsequent Yugas.

 

According to above, duration of the four Yugas will be as follows:

 

Yuga Name

 

 

SATA YUGA

 

 

TRETA YUGA

 

 

DVAPAR YUGA

 

 

KALI YUGA

 

Yuga Age

 

 

4,000 yrs.

 

 

3,000 yrs.

 

 

2,000 yrs.

 

 

1,000 yrs.

 

Period of Sandhya

 

 

400 yrs.

 

 

300 yrs.

 

 

200 yrs.

 

 

100 yrs.

 

Period of Sandhyangsha

 

 

400 yrs.

 

 

300 yrs.

 

 

200 yrs.

 

 

100 yrs.

 

Total Period

 

 

4,800 yrs.

 

 

3,600 yrs.

 

 

2,400 yrs.

 

 

1,200 yrs.

 

 

Total for four yugas =

12,000 yrs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Daiva Yuga:

 

The aggregate of the length of the four Yuga periods is twelve thousand years, as can be seen. Manu Smriti defines this period as Daiva Yuga.

 

"This which has been enumerated about the four Yugas, this twelve thousand years constitute a Yuga of the Devas." \ 8

 

Thus a Daiva Yuga has been defined as the aggregate of the periods of the four Yugas, of twelve thousand years.

 

 

 

 

 

Aho Ratra of Brahma :

 

Description of Aho Ratra of Brahma as found in the Gita, already quoted, is same in content as that in the Manu Smriti except that the latter has mentioned Daiva Yuga in place of simply Yugas in the Gita. Moreover Manu Smriti gives its relation with the ordinary Yugas.

 

"One thousand Daiva Yugas in number should be known as the Day of Brahma and a similar period as the Night." \ 9

 

Day of Brahma would indicate that the Universal Creative Force, Brahma, remains active or awake during the period of one thousand Daiva Yugas of twelve thousand years each. This period is known as a Kalpa. Another period of one thousand Daiva Yugas is the period of Night of Brahma indicating that during this period the Universal Creative Force goes into ‘rest' or ‘sleep' when creation is withdrawn. The Day of Brahma again dawns after the lapse of this condition of Brahma's Night. The Gita in the seventh chapter has described this feature very specifically. To quote :

 

"All ‘beings' are manifested out of the Unmanifest (Prakriti) at the advent of the Day; at the advent of Night (the same) dissolve into the same, called the Unmanifest ;"

 

"All these beings are born again and again and are dissolved at the advent of the Night and are born again at the end of Night without any compulsion." \ 10

 

Manu Smriti has given out further yardsticks of measuring the limitless time confirming at the same time the above exposition of the Gita. Manu Smriti continues:

 

"What has been stated earlier as Daiva Yuga of twelve thousand years,

 

Seventy one times of that is called a Manvantara;

 

"Manvantaras are innumerable for both creation and dissolution,

 

The Great Benefactor (Divinity) makes them again and again like a game of toys.'' \ 11

 

It is evident from the above extensively quoted texts from the Manu Smriti that the Hindu conceptions of measuring time and expressing it in terms of Day and Night is a unique feature. The traditional literatures and almanacs contain frequent references to these concepts. From the last two quotations it is stipulated that in a Kalpa of one thousand Daiva Yugas there should at least be fourteen periods of Manvantara ; each such period is said to be presided by a Manu. The almanacs give names of fourteen Manus, the name of the present Manu being Vaivasvata Manu and that the present era is about in the middle of the present Kalpa.

 

Traditional ideas in this respect however, do not conform to the interpretation of Swami Sri Yukteshvar which is based on the texts of the highly respected religious literature, the Manu Smriti. According to the traditionalists the age of a Yuga should be counted by considering the Varsha as the Daiva year. This would make the age of KaIi, as an example, consist of twelve hundred Daiva years—each Daiva year being made up of three hundred and sixty Daiva days and nights, each Daiva day being a normal year of 360 days. Thus the total period of the age of the KaIi Yuga is to be (1200 x 360) 432,000 years. Similarly age of the other Yugas has to be multiplied by three hundred and sixty giving astronomical figures as the age of these Yugas. Swami Sri Yukteshvar vehemently opposed this stand and showed that this view was not only contrary to the scriptures but also against astrological calculations and logical thinkings.

 

It is abundantly clear from the above quotations from the Manu Smriti that two types of Yugas have been recorded, the ordinary Yugas of Satya. Treta, Dvapar and KaIi and Daiva Yuga; both the varieties, having been expressed in terms of years only and not in terms of any Daiva years. There Is no scope, therefore, for any confusion in this regard. The stand of the traditionalists would appear, as such, to be wrong and groundless.

 

Characteristic of the phenomenal universal scene is its incessant movement. Everything created is constantly on the ‘move' in one way or the other. The Sanskrit synonym of the word for universe, Jagat, meaning that which ‘goes' or moves, gives a correct description of the reality. The earth rotates round its axis once every day causing Day and Night; it revolves round the Sun along its orbit once every year causing variation of seasons; and the moon revolves round the earth every month causing a month of two fortnights—the dark fortnight and the bright fortnight. Hindu Astrology conceived of another heavenly cyclic movement, this time of the Solar system; the Sun with its' planets and satellites, in relation to what is said to be the Grand Center of the Universal Creative Force, the Vishnu Nabhi or the navel of the Lord Protector of creation Vishnu. This movement causes appearance and disappearance of Yugas.

 

Rotational diurnal movement of the earth round its axis brings one half of the globe alternately facing the Sun and the other half to the opposite side. For the side that faces the sun it is then day and for the opposite side it is night. In its yearly revolution round the Sun the axis of the earth remains at an inclined position making an angle of about sixty six and half degrees with the orbit end moves in such a manner that the changing positions of the axis are always parallel. This makes the Northern and the Southern hemispheres of the earth alternately coming closer and moving further way from the Sun causing changes of seasons.

 

The moon has no rotational movement; it revolves round the earth keeping one side constantly facing the sun. This creates, conditions for the moon to appear in different phases. In the course of its movement the moon oscillates as it were between a nearest point and the farthest from the Sun; when it comes to the nearest point its position is in-between the Sun and the Earth and hence its dark side faces the earth. This is the New Moon, Amavasya. When the moon reaches the farthest point and is placed on the other side of the earth its bright side becomes fully visible. This is the Full Moon. In the cyclic movement of the Solar system the Sun with its family of planets and satellites moves toward the Universal Grand Center from the farthest point, and as it comes nearer and nearer to the Center of the Universal Creative Force the inherent virtues, Dharma, get manifested in men signifying advent of higher and higher Yugas. When the system is at the farthest distance from Vishnu Nabhi the earth is said to be in the KaIi Yuga. Proceeding towards the Grand Center, thus coming closer and closer to its spiritual aura, the earth passes through Dvapar and Treta and to the Satya Yuga. Continuing the cyclic movement as the Solar system goes away farther and farther from the Grand Center it gets into less and less potent Yugas of Treta, Dvapar and the KaIi.

 

 

According to Hindu conceptions virtues, Dharma, are fourfold—Chatushpad; in the Satya Yuga all the four-fold virtues remain fully manifested, but in the subsequent Yugas they decrease by one fold in each culminating in only one kind of virtue in the KaIi Yuga. Swami Sri Yukteshvar interpreted these virtues as Spiritual, Magnetic, Electrical and Material. As such all the four kinds are manifest in Satya Yuga; in Treta the Spiritual virtue gets submerged leaving the other three kinds manifested ; in Dvapar Electrical and Material virtues remain manifested while in the KaIi only the Material virtue remains. Hence KaIi is known as the Dark Age.

 

While Hindu scriptures in this respect refer to the sequence of the Yugas in the descending order—from Satya to Treta, Dvapar and KaIi—no reference is found on the changes suggested above in the ascending order from KaIi to Dvapar, Treta and Satya. The common belief is that after the end of KaIi Yuga the world would face a catastrophe after which Satya Yuga will dawn. Such quadruple jump from KaIi to Satya is against what is observed in all natural laws of changes, and as such inconceivable.

 

It may be reiterated that in a complete cycle of movement of the sun with its planets and satellites there are two sets of Yugas of Satya, Treta, Dvapar and KaIi thereby forming two periods of Daiva Yuga of twelve thousand years each. In the process pairs of such Yugas have been formed—two Satya Yuga, two Treta, two Dvapar, two KaIi and two Daiva Yugas. Yuga stands for ‘pair', and as such naming the above as Yugas would appear appropriate and in keeping with actualities. The Surya Siddhanta, the oldest of the known Hindu Astrological documents, has termed the period of twenty four thousand years which is equivalent to the time taken by the Solar system to make a complete cycle as the Maha Yuga. The traditionalists, however, would not accept any suggestion that a Satya Yuga can follow a Treta a Dvapar and a KaIi Yuga, as no reference could be produced from the old scriptures to that effect. The famous Sanskrit scholar and saint of Dhanbad, Late Ram Nath Shastri, who was personally known to Swami Sri Yukteshvar and one of his admirers, told this author that the Swami's thesis with regard to Yugas was superb ; but as no reference could be traced in the ancient literatures about the ascending Yugas the strong traditionalists could not be persuaded to accept the thesis ; and without the traditionalists agreeing the proposal could not be acceptable to the people at large.

 

Swami Sri Yukteshvar was very firm in his views on the matter and was convinced that the ideas of the traditionalists were faulty and based on wrong readings of the scriptural texts. He maintained that the wrong conceptions had crept in by wrong interpretations introduced by an early commentator of Mahabharata named Kulluk Bhatta, who was a creature of the Dark Age. Swami Sri Yukteshvar drew notice to another factor followed by the traditionalists to press the correctness of his thesis. They hold that at present the world is passing through five thousand and seventy eight years of the mutation period of KaIi of its total period of thirty six thousand years (100 x 360) ; and that KaIi proper is still more than thirty thousand years away (36,000-5078 ). However, there is no elucidation as to how this figure of 5078 had been arrived at. Swami Sri Yukteshvar contended that the figure was correct as far as the number of years was concerned but not the reference to which this was put to. He suggested that in very ancient times years were related to the Yugas they belonged to, in the same way as names of days of the week were related to planets and names of the Hindu months of the year related to important stars of the twelve constellations. He argued that years of Satya Yuga were counted from Satya I onwards upto Satya 4,800; the chronology then changed to Treta I upto Treta 3,600 and so on. When Dvapara 2,400 was completed and KaIi years should have started the then people in authority in the capital of India elected to continue with Dvapar chronology. This was due to, he argued, king Yudhishthira's decision to leave his throne and worldly life at the advent of KaIi Yuga which would not be a period fit to live in. When he left the capital his brothers, courtiers and scholars of his capital followed him on his journey to the Himalayas. As a result, in the absence of scholars, the advent of KaIi went unnoticed and hence the running chronology was persevered with.

 

As stated earlier the period of a Dvapar Yuga is 2,400 years. At the conclusion of this Yuga the previous chronology having continued during KaIi the last year of KaIi, according to the chronology would be 3,600. With the completion of the KaIi Yuga in the descending order the ascending order of change in the Yugas start, and after passing through another twelve hundred years Dvapara would begin. The number 5,078 would show that not only was the Kali in the ascending order was completed but two hundred and seventy seven years of the Dvapar have also been over (5,078-1,200-3,600). Swami Sri Yukteshvar was of the view that world was now in Dvapara Yuga and that having completed its mutation period of two hundred years have passed into the Yuga proper, and that in the year 1978 A. D. is on its seventy eighth year.

 

Another Astronomical phenomenon known as Precision of the Equinox, Swami Sri Yukteshvar affirmed, had close relationship with the Yugas. Equinox occurs when the sun is exactly on the equator making duration of the day and night equal on that day. The point in the heaven or zodiac in the constellation at which equinox takes place is known as the equinoxial point It has been observed by Astronomers from of old that the equinox does not occur at a fixed point every year; but that the equinoxial point precedes by a fraction of a degree every year. According to Surya Siddhanta the quantum of Precision was fifty four seconds (54") a year. Present day Astronomers, however, found this quantum to be a little less. Taking 54" seconds as the quantum it will take twenty four thousand years (360X60X60 divided by 54) for the equinox to occur again at the same point of the constellation. As seen above this period is equivalent to a Maha Yuga (Surya Siddhanta) and to two Daiva Yugas.

 

From his studies of Astrology and Vedic Iiteratures Swami Sri Yukteshvar found that the last Satya Yuga ensued when the Autumnal Equinox occurred at the first point of the constellation Aries in the year II, 501 B.C. Thus a period of 13,477 years must have elapsed before reaching the year 1978 A.D, which is equivalent to a Daiva Yuga plus a period of KaIi Yuga and another two hundred and seventy seven years. Calculating on the above basis Autumnal Equinox will take place again in the first point of Aries in the year 12, 501 A.D. Equinoxial point is an observable factor and by observing the present position correctness or otherwise of the Swami's views can be verified. Swami Sri Yukteshvar opined that the Autumnal Equinox occurred at the present time some where in the constellation Libra.

 

There was another subject where Swami Sri Yukteshvar found fault with the traditionalists. This was in respect of certain festival days of the Hindu considered very auspicious. They are the four Sankrantis—, the two Equinoxes and the two Solstices. When the Sun in its path from its Southern limit to the North crosses the Equator, which takes place during Spring on the 23rd of March, Vernal Equinox occurs. The day the Sun comes exactly over the Equator duration of night and day becomes equal; hence the name. The Hindus call this Maha Vishuva Sankranti. Similarly when the Sun in its Southerly course from the Northernmost region crosses the Equator another equinox takes place; and as this occurs in autumn, in September, it is known as the Autumnal Equinox, Jala Vishuva Sankranti. The Sun moves, rather appears to move, between tropics of Capricorn and Cancer— which are, like the Equator, but imaginary lines. The above two tropics are the limits upto which the Sun can go either way. When the Sun touches the Southernmost limit which is the Tropic of Capricorn, the Makar Kranti, the Hindu festival Makar Sankranti is observed. On this day we have the longest night and the shortest day of the year, and hence can easily be distinguished. The Sun then takes up its Northerly course end, after crossing the Equator reaches its Northernmost limit, which is the Tropic of Cancer— Karkat Kranti ; this day is observed as the Karkat Sankranti. We have on this day the shortest night and the longest day of the year, and us such is easily recognizable. The Sun moves again Southwards and crossing the Equator moves to the Southernmost tip of the journey. These are the four important Sankrantis of the year whose occurrence cannot be confused. But the Hindu almanacs stick to the old dates ascertained hundreds of years ago without caring to make any adjustment in accordance with the phenomenon of Precision of Equinoxes. As a result these festivals are wrongly observed when actual Sankrantis have already passed about three weeks ago.

 

Swami Sri Yukteshvar was not only a strong exponent of the new ideas of Yugas, as detailed in the fore-going, but also of the urgent necessity of reforming the Hindu almanac. The glaring example is observation of the Hindu New Year. According to tradition from the Vedic times new year begins on the day immediately following the Vernal Equinox, Maha Vishuva Sankranti. Although apparently the same tradition is still being followed, actually the present day new year begins about three weeks after the Vernal Equinox really occurs due to the above mistake. Swami Sri Yukteshvar had launched a country wide campaign meeting scholars and savants in important places like Varanashi and Puri and holding conferences where he placed his views and sought approval of the guardians of traditions to introduce the changes, both with regard to the Yugas as well as to reformation of almanacs in line with his findings. The hard conservative core, however, did not agree although they appreciated the Swami's arguments and logic of facts.

 

It does great credit to Swami Sri Yukteshvar's acumen and penetrating analysis, however, when after about half a century the independent Government of India set up a Commission for reforming the almanacs under the Chairmanship of the world famous scientist Dr. Meghnath Saha, who recommended that the New Year should begin on the eighth day of the month of Chaitra instead of the day following the thirty first day of Chaitra. But for a conservative people like the Indians who are strongly bound by traditional customs and usages any change is unacceptable even if recommended by the wisest of men. Recommendations of the Shah Commission has been under dusts in the national archives and New Year is continuing to be held as before on the first day of Vaisakh, about three weeks after the actual vernal equinox occurs.

 

To revert to suggestions put forward by Swami Sri Yukteshvar in regard to reckoning of Years. He suggested that the years should be reckoned in relation to their Yuga, and opined that this was the practice in ancient times. Like names of days of the week and of months of the year which are not associated with any personality or human events names of years should also be linked with natural and celestial phenomenon. Name of days of the week have been derived from the planets (Sun and Moon are reckoned as planets in Astrology). Ravivar (Sunday) from Sun (Ravi), Somvar (Monday) from Moon (Som), Mangal Var (Tuesday) from MangaI (Mars), Budhvar (Wednesday) from Budh (Mercury), Vrihashpativar (Thursday) from Vrihashpati (Jupiter), Shukravar (Friday) from Shukra (Venus) and Shanivar (Saturday) from Shani (Saturn). Similarly names of months have been derived from prominent stars of the different constellations. Thus Vaishakh has been derived from the star Vishakha, Jaishtha from Jyeshtha, Ashad from the Star Purvashada, Shravan from Shravani, Kartik from Kirtika, Agrahayan which is alternately known as Marga Sirsha from Mriga shira, Paush from Pusha, Magh from Magha, Falgun from Falguni and Chaitra from the star Chitra. In the same way years should also be linked with Yugas like Satya year, Treta Year and so on, Swami Sri Yukteshvar contended. He himself followed this principle in his own publications. The Holy Science written In 1894 was shown as having been written in 194 Dwapara. In all publications of different centers established under Swami Sri Yukteshvar's guidance the Yuga year was used side by side with Christian era.

 

The different cyclic movements of heavenly bodies that have been shown earlier to cause day and night, different seasons, dark and bright fortnights and Yugas are simultaneous. While the sun with its planets and satellites moves in relation to the Vishnu Nabhi the earth continues with its diurnal and annual movements and the moon keeps on revolving round the earth. One complete rotation of the earth round its axis constitutes the day, one complete revolution of the moon round the earth constitutes a lunar month, one complete revolution of the earth along its orbit round the sun constitutes the solar year and one complete cycle by the solar system in relation to the Universal Grand Center constitutes the Daiva Yuga ‘couple'. It is not difficult, therefore, to draw a co-relation between these different movements.

 

It has been found that a lunar month is slightly shorter than a solar month, and that a year has a few more days than twelve lunar months. In fact it has been found that three years are equal to thirty seven months. As the months are fixed on lunar basis some of the months are extended by a few more days every three years to conform to the years. Such months are known to almanac makers as Mala Masa, months with excess days. Taking thirty seven lunar months as equivalent to three years it is possible to describe Yugas in terms of lunar months. This standard assumes great importance in practical application in the spiritual technique of Kriya Yoga. It is from this aspect that a discussion on the Yugas is found to be relevant in a discourse devoted to Kriya Yoga.

 

It has been mentioned already that the Yugas indicate acquirement of different virtues, ‘Dharma', and for such Dharmas to find expression requires elapse of thousands and thousands of years of time. The ancient Masters of India's spiritual heritage found that the same virtues can be manifested in one's life time if the above Yuga producing movements could be enacted in the human body. Kriya Yoga had been designed on this pattern. In this design the Sahasrar, the main seat of the Spirit, is taken as representing the body-sun, the mind as the moon and the Shushumna Nadi as the firmament containing the constellations of stars. By a technique of moving this ‘moon' along Shushumna from the nearest point from the body-sun to the farthest point from the body-sun and back again along the same path a course of a lunar month can be enacted in the body. And to accomplish this takes only a fraction of a minute. Repeating this operation regularly at suitable time one can do the equivalent of a KaIi Yuga, of a Dvapara, a Treta and of a Satya Yuga in a short period. By adopting superior techniques designed for the purpose it is possible to enact the equivalent of a Kalpa in one's very life time.

 

The most sensational observation of Swami Sri Yukteshvar was that the world now was in the Dvapar Yuga. He produced a long list of events and discoveries during the last couple of centuries showing that the human mind was gradually acquiring more and more capacities to comprehend finer and finer things in creation, to support his claim; that the world was emerging into the higher Yuga of Dvapar from the Dark KaIi Yuga during those periods. He predicted that human mind would acquire more and more knowledge in matters of electrical attributes and astounding discoveries in the field could be expected. He could not live to see how true were his predictions in this regard as proved by scientific talents in recent years. Human mind still was far away from comprehending capabilities of magnetic attributes, he said, which will be possible only with the advent of Treta Yuga.

 

For Yogis, however, it was a different matter; they could achieve all the ‘virtues' associated with all the Yugas by enacting the process of Yuga manifesting technique in their Spiritual efforts in as short a period as a life time. Thus it would appear that the Hindu conceptions of Yugas and their application in spiritual culture is a feature of special importance.

 

 

 

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